ROBOT CLEANER

• US 20120095597A1
• Filed: 07/06/2009
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Bong-Ju, Shim, In-Bo, Sung, Ji-Hoon, Yim, Byung-Doo, Kim, Sung-Guen
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1472 combined with security means, e.g. for preventing use, e.g. in case of absence of the bag

Abstract

Provided is a robot cleaner, and more particularly to a robot cleaner which detest whether a foreign material storage unit is separated. The robot cleaner includes a main body including a suction motor, a foreign material storage unit separably disposed within the main body, the foreign material storage unit storing foreign materials contained in sucked air, a foreign material cover for selectively shielding one side of the foreign material storage unit, and a detection unit for detecting whether the foreign material cover is opened.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a main body comprising a suction motor;

a foreign material storage unit separably disposed within the main body, the foreign material storage unit storing foreign materials contained in sucked air;

a foreign material cover for selectively shielding one side of the foreign material storage unit; and

a detection unit disposed on another side of the foreign material storage unit, the detection unit configured to detect whether the foreign material storage unit is separated from the main body or the foreign material cover is opened.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a main cover for shielding at least one side of the main body,

wherein a seat part for seating the foreign material storage unit is disposed on the main cover.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the main cover comprises a wall on which the detection unit is disposed, and the wall is disposed on a side of the seat part.

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the wall is formed of a transparent material, and the foreign material storage unit or the foreign material cover is formed of an opaque material.

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a support member so that the detection unit is inclinedly supported toward the foreign material cover.

6. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, further comprising:

a rotation lever configured to rotatably couple the foreign material cover to the main cover; and

a hinge part defining a rotation center of the rotation lever.

7. The robot cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the detection unit is disposed within a rotation radius of the rotation lever and selectively turned on/off by contact of the rotation lever.

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a hook groove to which a hook protrusion of the foreign material cover is coupled is defined in the foreign material storage unit.

9. The robot cleaner according to claim 8, further comprising an elastic member for providing a restoring force in a direction in which the foreign material cover is opened.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises at least one of an infrared sensor and a detection switch that is selectively turned on/off.